January 26, 2015

This last week was really great!

We met with one of our investigators, Teddy, on Thursday.  He's the one trying to quit smoking.  The first thing he said when we sat down was "I want to set my baptism date. I'm done smoking, I'm ready for baptism!"

He's gone two weeks with no smoking. We set a baptismal date on the 31st, this Saturday.  So this will officially be my 1st baptism!  I couldn't be more excited for him.  He's married to a member and they are already looking forward to going to the temple in a year to be sealed!

Then, the day before, on Wednesday we received two referrals.  Bill  was one of them.  We stopped by that day and met with him and his daughter.  Bill is about 80 years old.  He has a brother who lives in West Valley. (Oh yeah, side track real fast. What ward were we in when we lived in West Valley? The new senior missionaries who are coming to replace the Abney's are from West Valley and he has been the Stake President. Their names are the Brooks. I don't know if their name sounds familiar. That would be pretty neat if we know them.)  Anywho, So we were talking and saying that would be neat if the Brooks know his brother.  That would be a super small world.  Bill and his daughter Molly are very interested in the Book of Mormon.  We're in the middle of trying to find a larger print BoM for them both since they are a bit older.  

It really hit me this last week at a Zone Conference.  At the Zone Conferences, The missionaries going home that month bare their testimonies and one of the sisters that I came out with, Sister Smith, gave hers.  It hit me that I will be doing that in 6 months.  No bueno.  You know me.  I don't cry.  I started to cry at Zone Conference and then also, yesterday was the last day that the Abney's (The senior couple, the man in the ladder picture) would be here in North Carolina.  They spoke in Sacrament meeting.  I started crying when Elder Abney was concluding his talk.  They are like my parents here.  We've grown so much together.  I wrote them a letter and gave it to them before they left. They said they're going to miss me the most ;D It feels so weird with them not here but the mission has made me a freakin’ softy!

Uhh, I think that's all the major things that happened this week!  It was a great week!  I hope this one will be just as good if not better!

Love you! Stay Safe!

Love,

Elder Beach

Excerpt from his Dad's Email:   I'm still working and doing my best and I am definitely not wishing my time away. It freaks the heck out of me that I have 6 months left. Next month I get permission to start applying to schools and scholarships. I really do not want to come home.  (This last sentence brings tears to Momma Beach's eyes and JOY in my heart!)

Momma Beach says: 

ONLY

DAYS LEFT 

in the Missionary Field